Counter-holder.



0. E. RANEY. 9 COUNTER HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED IBB.10, 1909. V

. 955 ,995, Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

WITNESSES 4-- r h INMENIOR Q CZQTZesER 17 Am mjZv "m i HIDE/{78 ANDREWxiv GRAHAM 00., FNOID-LIYMONEAPHERB. WASKINOYOK'HE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. RANEY, OF COURTENAY, NORTH DAKOTA.

COUNTER-HOLDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. RANEY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Courtenay, in the county of Stutsman and State ofNorth Dakota, have invented a new and Improved Counter-Holder, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to counter holders, and more particularly todevices of this class for holding and manipulating spherical countersused in certain pool and billiard games, and consisting of a casingadapted to contain a predetermined number of counters, and so formedthat the presence of the counters in the casing can be determinedwithout the recognition of each counter or a determination of the numberborne by each counter, and a compartment connected with the casing andadapted to receive the counters, so that these can be mixed up in thecompartment, in order to allow chance to determine the order in whichthe counters are dispensed from the holder.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive anddurable holder for pool and like counters, in which the number ofcounters remaining in the holder can at all times be easily determined,in which the counters cannot be identified, which serves as a substitutefor the ordinary bottle commonly used to contain pool counters, andwhich obviates the occurrence of certain mistakes in the use of thecounters.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, tobe more fully described hereinafer and particularly set forth in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings formin a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlargedlongitudinal partial section of the device; Fig. 3 is a transversesection on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged transversesection on the line 44 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectionof a counter of special form.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my lnvention, itshould be clearly understood that, while the same is particularly usefulas a holder for the spherical counters used in connection with cer-Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1909.

Patented Apr. 26, 1910.

Serial No. 477,067.

tain pool or billiard games, it can also be advantageously applied toother games or the like in which a holder for a certain number ofcounters is necessary. The counters used in pool are small partlyspherical bodies, and are fifteen in number, each having one of thenumbers from 1 to 15 inscribed or otherwise indicated thereon. Thecounters are used in various w. s. For example, each one of a number 0players receives a counter, and in the ensuing pool game, it is then hisobject to pocket a pool ball having a number correspondin to thatcarried by the counter which has een assigned to him. He, of course, kees the number secret until he has succeec ed in pocketing his ball,whereupon the stakes are awarded to him. It will be seen that if aplayer can secure more than one counter, contrary to the rules of thegame, his chances of winnin are far better. My counterholder obvlatesthe unauthorized retention of counters, as the number of counterstherein can at all times be determined; thus, for example, if there arefive players and it is seen that ten counters remain in the holder,there is no possibility of one of the players having more than thesingle counter to which he is entitled. The holder also has acompartment, in which the counters can be mixed up by shaking, so thatthe order in which they are dispensed from the compartment to theplayers depends upon chance. The bottle ordinarily used for a likepurpose is also employed in a form of pool known as bottle-pool, andwhen the bottle is so used, the counters are removed therefrom, so thatthere is danger of losing or misplacing the counters. My holder cannotbe used as a substitute for the bottle in the game of bottle-pool.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I provide a casing 10consisting of two adjacent and parallel tubular members 11, fashionedfrom any suitable material and of a diameter such that the pool counters12 can easily enter. One of the tubular memhers is arranged to containeight of the balls, while the other at the lower end has a solid part13, so that it is adapted to contain seven counters, making fifteen inall in the easing. The upper counters are substantially flush with theopen ends of the members. The latter are rigidly mounted in anyconvenient manner upon a base 14,-, which enables the holder to standsecurely.

A band 15 encompasses the members in-: termediate their ends and holdsthem se-v curely together. Each member at oppositesides has longitudinalslots 16 which permit the counters within the member to be viewed, butare so narrow that the numbers upon the counters cannot be recognized oridentified. Furthermore, the member at the outside has numbers 17inscribed thereon in any suitable manner and each corresponding to theposi tion of a counter within the member. Thus the memberwhich containseight counters has the numbers from 1 to 8 inscribed thereon, 1 being atthe bottom and 8 being at the top. Thus by looking through the slots 16in that member, the number of counters the-rein can be determined at aglance. For example, if the counters do not. extend above the number 6,it will be known that there are six counters in the member. The othermember 11 has similar numbers from 1 to 7 inscribed thereon, for a likepurpose.

The members at the opposite sides have upward extensions 18, to which issecured a collar 19. The latter also engages at the top of the members,and is secured to the extensions in any suitable manner, for example, bymeans of rivets 20. A mixing compartment 21 having an opening at thelower end with a downwardly-disposed elongated rim 22 is mounted uponthe collar by means of the rim, which fits at the outside of the collar.The compartment is preferably flat and laterally extended to form anoval. It has at the top an outlet 23, through which the counters can bedispensed one at a time- The compartment is fashioned from any suitablematerial, such as rubber, leather or the like, and can be used to mix upor mingle the counters. I prefer to employ two tubular members insteadof a single member adapted to hold fifteen counters, as, when a singlemember is used, the height of the holder is excessive,

and itdoes not stand steadily upon its base.

In Fig. 5 is shown a counter 24:, of special form, which I prefer toemploy with my invention. Counters of this type are hollow and arethicker at one side so that they tend to assume positions with thethicker.

side underneath. 'The designating numbers 25 are inscribed at thethicker side, so that these numbers are hidden when the counters assumepositions of rest after being rolled or thrown upon a surface.Furthermore, when counters of this type are introduced into the holderthey normally tend to assume positions with the numbers downward, and asthe slots 16 are so positioned that the sides of the counters arevisible therethrough, the possibility of having the numbers on thecounters seen through the slots is practically obviated.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device of the class described, comprising a casing formed tocontain a predetermined number of counters. the saidcasing having narrowslots in its Wall, and a mixing compartment communicating with saidcasing.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a tubular casingmounted upon said base and formed to contain a predetermined number ofcounters, the said casing having openings in its wall, Whereby thepresence of the counters in said cas ing can be determined withoutidentification of the counters, and a mixing compartment having anoutlet and communicating with said casing. V

8. A device of the class described, comprising a casing formed tocontain a predetermined number of counters, and having narrow slots,whereby the presence of the counters in said casing can be determinedwithout identification of the counters,'and a mixing compartmentcommunicating with said casing and having an outlet through which thecounters can be dispensed.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a tubular casingmounted upon said base and adapted to contain a predetermined number ofcounters, said ca s ing having narrow longitudinal slots, said casingfurther having numbers indicated on the outside thereof and eachcorresponding to the position of a counter therein when said casing isfilled with counters, and a mixing compartment communicating interiorlywith said casing and having an outlet through which the counters can bedispensed one at a time.

5. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a tubular casingmounted upon said base and adapted to contain a pre determined number ofcounters, said casing having longitudinal slot-s through which thepresence of said counters can be determined,

said slots being small, whereby the counters cannot be identifiedtherethrough, said casing having numbers indicated on the out bers, eachadapted to contain a predetermined number of counters, each of i saidmembers having slots extending longitudinally thereof, and eachhavingnumbers on the outside thereof, said numbers corre sponding to thepositions of counters within said members, a collar encompassing theopen upper ends of said members, and a mixing compartment mounted uponsaid collar and having an outlet.

7. In a device of the class described, a tubular member of predeterminedcapacity and havin a longitudinal slot, the said member bemg adapted tocontain a certain number of counters of predetermined size, and a secondtubular member having a longitudinal slot and adapted to contain similarcounters, the capacity of said second tubular member being less thanthat of the first member.

8. A device of the class described, comprising two longitudinallyslotted tubular members mounted adjacent and parallel to each other, andeach adapted to contain a predetermined number of counters, the saidmembers being each open at one end and closed at the other end, the boreof one of said members being of less length than that of the othermember, and a mixing compartment connected with the open ends of saidmembers.

9. A device of the class described comprising a casing consisting ofadjacent tubular members each adapted to contain a predetermined numberof counters, the said tubular members each having openings in its wallwhereby the presence of the counters can be determined withoutidentification of the counters, and a mixing compartment communicatingwith the members of said casing.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. RANEY.

Witnesses:

LORAN NICHOLS, A. L. CASEY.

